The pilot of a plane that crashed in a snowstorm at Yampa Valley Regional Airport near Steamboat Springs Sunday had zero visibility as the plane approached the runway, Airport Manager David Ruppel said today. The pilot, Hans Vandervlugt, and passenger Gaby Humpal were killed when the Cessna 414 crashed about 40 yards south of the Hayden airport's east-west runway. Vandervlu...

The fact that the visibility at the point where the airport's sensors were located said one thing, doesn't necessarily mean that the required landing visibility, which may have been 1/2 mile with 200 foot ceilings, or whatever the minimums are at Hayden, didn't exist at the approach end of the runway.

However, it is likely that the pilot, who murdered and maimed this family with his bad decision making, didn't have the guts to suggest to the family that they divert to Grand Junction or similar, and wait out the weather.

This happens so often, and it's heartbreaking.

Hiring a professional pilot, instead of getting a good deal with the questionable services of this senior citizen, would very likely have had a different outcome. Oh well, it's their money.

[quote="Leardriver"]The fact that the visibility at the point where the airport's sensors were located said one thing, doesn't necessarily mean that the required landing visibility, which may have been 1/2 mile with 200 foot ceilings, or whatever the minimums are at Hayden, didn't exist at the approach end of the runway.

However, it is likely that the pilot, who murdered and maimed this family with his bad decision making, didn't have the guts to suggest to the family that they divert to Grand Junction or similar, and wait out the weather.

This happens so often, and it's heartbreaking.

Hiring a professional pilot, instead of getting a good deal with the questionable services of this senior citizen, would very likely have had a different outcome. Oh well, it's their money.[/quote]

Although this may be pilot error, your comments loss all credibility with your appraisal of the pilot's experience based solely on his age.

Richard, you are dreaming. And saying I lost all credibility because you said so doesn't exactly erase a lifetime of being right about this by me.

That pilot could not see, hear, or move fast enough to put my family in a light twin and fly an approach down to minimums.

I see this all the time with guys who are nice, experienced, and friends of the family. The FAA, who is the biggest detriment to aviation safety, is too cowardly to do anything.

The airlines got bullied into letting guys fly until age 65. tTat was a big mistake. Age 76 is way too old. But, I get no satisfaction about repeatedly being right about this, and watching families get destroyed.

Leardriver wrote:Richard, you are dreaming. And saying I lost all credibility because you said so doesn't exactly erase a lifetime of being right about this by me.

That pilot could not see, hear, or move fast enough to put my family in a light twin and fly an approach down to minimums.

I see this all the time with guys who are nice, experienced, and friends of the family. The FAA, who is the biggest detriment to aviation safety, is too cowardly to do anything.

The airlines got bullied into letting guys fly until age 65. tTat was a big mistake. Age 76 is way too old. But, I get no satisfaction about repeatedly being right about this, and watching families get destroyed.

Actually, the ceilings were below mins - AWOS reported OCV400 and 1/4 mi; DH on the ILS is about 780' and about 448' on the LPV. Even with a coupled WAAS box, he didn't have any business trying to land. He should have diverted as soon as he got the AWOS because he knew he could not legally land at KHDN.

And the FAA is not cowardly. In fact, they like to go after GA guys or professional pilots flying Part 91 or 135, because they are low-hanging fruit and the FSDO can always find some baloney technicality to violate an airman. So, while they may be charlie sierra, they aren't cowardly.

Finally, I agree that age 76 is a little too old. The age 65 thing with the 121 guys doesn't bother me, but 76 for a professional pilot is a little too aged, IMO.

EDIT: Pilot was COMM-ASEL/AMEL/ASES/Glider; CFI/II/MEI w/ BGI and IGI as well as an A&P/IA. Second Class Medical dated 3/11. Old dude wasn't at all a novice - just maybe a little too old. Remember, though - he probably also had a family - wife, kids, grandkids, and lots of other people who loved him. Tragic all the way around.

The election is over. Romney lost. You can take his campaign stickers off your car now.

Obviously being from Texas he probably didn't fly much in snow regardless of how old he was or how much experience he had. Trying to land in whiteout conditions he made judgement errors which ended up being fatal. Lets have a little compassion for the man and his family here and stop the bickering.

I am sure glad you guys know it all. Even without having a clue whatsoever about the guy flying.I am pretty sure you will not get close to his experience worldwide (and i do mean everywhere) even if you lived to be three times his age. Would be nice if you just awaited the report, before coming up with your conclusions solely based on assumptions. If you would like to know more on him i suggest you google his name.Btw if you would have met him before this terrible accident, you probably would not have given him anything over 60, i flew with him not long ago, sharp as a knife.